Princess Bling
by DCflame
Summary: What if Princess Tutu took place as a true story happening in the projects of a major city? Duck is a girl living in poverty in a slummy neighborhood. Only through her alter ego, Princess Bling, can she escape the daily grind and let loose as a local socialite with killer moves. But when she falls for the famous Ren, she will make a choice that will change their lives forever...
1. Chapter 1

"Good morning!" Duck sang out. She elbowed open her dusty window. "How are you?" A barrage of birds greeted her, swooping into her room and picking away at the pan of crumbs in her hands. "No, wait – ouch! Stop! Here!" She quickly dropped the pan on the windowsill and watched them peck away. "Yep… some things don't change." She flopped onto her bed, resting her chin in her hands, and watched them. "Guess what? Missy Frank's party last night was killer! Everyone was there… All the coolest people. And they were all dancing. And the music-!" She sighed. "It was really something…" She stood and pulled off her old nightgown and tossed it onto the barren wood flooring. "I mean, how often do rappers come around to give private performances? And DJ Clashho was there! I always love his remixes!"

In the corner of her room, a closet door stood, partially open. She yanked it open and began to sort through the few shirts she had. Her hand brushed against a small white hoodie hidden in the back. She paused, frowning. "I… I wish I could wear that always. Imagine always being Princess Bling. But… then maybe people wouldn't like me anymore. I mean, I'm just Duck. The girl with the silly name. The clutz, right?" She stood there for a moment, clutching her threadbare yellow shirt. "Though it's not like anyone around here is really what you'd call wealthy or famous or anything. But…" She sighed and pulled her shirt on and went over to the wardrobe. On top of the wardrobe sat a necklace hanger. Hanging from it was a simple pendant with a ruby stone. She fingered it absently before unhooking it and fastening it around her neck. "Still."

She thumped down the stairs, not really noticing how dismal her apartment was compared to the homes other people might live in. Dusty scatters of papers and bills crowded the small kitchen table, and dishes teetered in piles in the sink.

"Yeesh…" She cringed as a bug crawled out of a dirty bowl. "I guess I'll have to wash those tonight. Yuck." She pulled a package of Pop Tarts from a cupboard and set them in the toaster. She leaned against the counter, thinking. "But… I have to work tonight, too. If I'm late, Manuel will be angry with me. Though he is pretty lenient." She gave a sigh of irritation. "So much to do tonight!"

She slumped over to the sagging couch and turned on the TV. It was set to a local channel, and it featured several news anchors discussing a party that was to be thrown that night… Her eyes widened as footage of the boy hip hop band The Ebb played in the background. "The Ebb will be performing at a party here in the city – TONIGHT?" She gave a squeal of joy and fell backwards on the couch, clutching a throw pillow. "Eek! I can't believe it!" She sat up and leaned closer to the TV in her excitement. There, next to the leader of the group, was her favorite… Ren. "Oh, Ren. You're so handsome…" She sighed and inched closer to the concert footage of him performing. Those long eyebrows and wide, golden eyes… The way he could command the crowd with his confident smile and voice… "How does he do it?" she pondered with a thoughtful frown. The click of the toaster in the adjacent room alerted her to her finished Pop Tarts.

She hopped up and reached for them. "Youch! Hot!" She wrung her hand, then quickly grabbed and dropped them onto a plate. She took a determined bite out of the one that wasn't quite so warm. "Mm. A party, huh? I wonder… I wonder when it'll take place. I wonder if people will expect Princess Bling to show." Her hand came up to brush her pendant.

Later that morning, she was walking the school halls with her friends Lilie and Pique. "Oh, I can't believe it! Did you hear? The Ebb's going to be at some girl's 18th birthday party! She's so lucky!" Chattered Pique. "Oh, I wonder who'll be there! You know other celebrities are bound to show up! They're one of the wealthiest families in town," Lilie added. "Hm…" Duck frowned absently. "Duck, are you listening? THE EBB! HERE! IN THE QUAD CITIES!" Lilie grabbed her arm and squeezed it. "YOUCH YEAH I KNOW I KNOW I KNOW!" Duck shrieked. "Oh, would you look at that?" gushed Lilie. "She's so excited she can't contain herself!" Pique groaned. "Um, that was mostly because of you, Lilie…" Duck grimaced and rubbed her arm. "Anyways, it's not like anyone we really know would be there… We're not famous or anything…" muttered Duck. "Oh, cheer up, Duck! You know, when there's a will, there's a way!" cried Lilie. "Hm?" Duck's head shot up. "Silly, what does that even mean?" Pique snorted. "Well, it does fit, doesn't it?" retorted Lilie.

Duck looked down the hall, lost in thought. "Does that mean… If I'm determined to go… I can?" The pendant bounced against her neck with each step. "Of course! I can go as… But… I have to work, anyways… And with Mom not around… there's no way I can go." She winced. "Who's throwing the party again?" asked Lilie. "Check it out!" Pique held up a copy of the daily paper. "It's over in Rock Island… Take a look!" She pressed it into Duck's hands. Her eyes scanned the article. "Cate Zeondo? It's her party? Didn't she go to school here? It starts at 8:00 and goes until midnight… Wow, she's lucky. A private concert from The Ebb! And Ren would be there…"

Pique grinned and elbowed Duck. "OHO! You like Ren, eh? I dunno, he's a little girly…"

"WHA? Really?" Duck blushed brick red.

"No, silly, I'm just messing with you! I prefer the leader, Mott… But I guess Ren's okay." Duck's deep red tone subsided. "Oh… heheh. I mean, um…" Her train of thought was interrupted as a girl with dark brown hair brushed by. Their eyes grew wide. "Wow, Rue…" breathed Pique. "She even walks with confidence. And why shouldn't she? She's such an amazing dancer… And we're klutzes. But still! I wonder if she's going to the party…?" Duck stared at the paper. The end of it listed several notable guests, along with the line – 'mysterious local socialite Princess Bling is also invited to attend.'

The bell rang. "Oh, crap, we're late!" shouted Pique. She and Lilie took Duck's arms. "Let's go!" Duck shrieked as they pulled her down the hall. The paper fluttered out of her hands. "No, waittttttttttt-!"

That evening, she was on her hands and knees scrubbing at a mysterious stain in a store. She worked for Manuel's Maintenance and Cleaning as a janitor…. And it wasn't very fun work. She sighed and brushed her bangs out of her eyes. "Another down… Just a few more to go!" She wetted her rag in the bucket of soapy water next to her. "What time is it…?" She checked a nearby clock. "Only seven! If I hurry I can go home and get the dishes done and dust and do my homework and…" Her face fell as she realized how much work she had to do yet that evening. "Aw, man, there's no way I can make that party! Cate will be disappointed… And I won't get to see Ren." She slumped over on the damp floor. "It's hopeless…"

The clank of boots next to her startled her up. She blushed and began to scrub super hard on the floor. "Hi, Mr. Manuel! I'm almost done, so…" She sighed and stopped. "Oh, what's the use?" she whispered. Mr. Manuel, a heavy-set but kind-hearted man, peered down at her for a long moment. "What's the matter, Duck?" Duck sighed again and looked out across the room. "I – I was supposed to be somewhere tonight, but I have so much to do! Mom's still out somewhere, and I've got chores to do and my homework and…" she hid her face in her hands. "I don't know what to do!"

Mr. Manuel was silent for a time. Then he spoke. "Why don't you take the night off? If you have somewhere to be, and so much to do already, you shouldn't be breaking your back for my sake."

Duck blushed. "N-No! I need the money! And you're counting on me, I can't-"

Mr. Manuel's face crinkled in a smile. "I'm not completely helpless, Duck. I can finish up here myself. And you'll still get your full pay. It's alright."

Duck grinned in hope. "Really?"

Mr. Manuel nodded.

Duck flew up and gave an awkward curtsy. "Oh, thank you so much, Mr. Manuel!" She dropped her rag in the bucket and flew out the door, into the warm night. "If I hurry," she thought with determination, "I can get the chores done and be out to the party in a half hour flat!"

Back at home, she struggled to balance the rest of the clean dishes into a cupboard. "There… that's the last of them!" She whirled up the stairs and tore her hoodie off its hanger. She threw off her old t-shirt and pulled on the hoodie along with a pair of loose, dark denim jeans. She then turned to her wardrobe with its old, sturdy mirror and pulled a pair of wings shaped as cups from a drawer. With two rubber bands, she pulled her long hair into compact buns on the sides of her head and pinned the wings over them. In went two gold hoop earrings, the only pair she owned. She was nearly ready…

Duck took a deep breath. With trembling fingers, she slid the pendant off its plain thread and restrung it on a pretty gold chain. She took a few other beads from a dish and snapped them onto the pendant via a clasp on the back. Hands now steady, she clasped the necklace around her neck. And when she looked up at her reflection, the girl she was just moments ago was gone, or rather, enhanced. Her eyes sparkled with a new fire, a confident smile upon her lips.

Princess Bling had arrived.

The cab pulled up outside and honked. With a new swing in her step, she pulled her hood up over her head and climbed inside.

"Where to, miss?" The cabbie asked. He did a faint double take in the rear view mirror. "Wait – are you…?"

"To the Zeondo's residence, please." She smiled.

The bass outside the mansion was ridiculous, so she could only guess at how loud it actually was inside. She thought she recognized the beat, but was unsure as to what the song was. Outside the tall, iron gates, the cab stopped. She handed the cabbie a $20 bill, shook off her hood, and climbed out. The gates were partially open, with bouncers standing guard with clipboards. A long line of people were waiting to enter, all laughing and talking giddily. It didn't take a celebrity to know this was the biggest party of the year. On the right side was a shorter line of people – probably those higher up on the guest list. She glided over and waited patiently.

When it was her turn at the gate, the bored man looked up. His eyes got big once he'd taken in her appearance. "Name?"

"Princess Bling." She smiled.

He gaped. "Really? Well, it's – it's an honor to have you here, Bling." He opened the gate and motioned for her to go in, his arm trembling. Blushing, she entered.

Up the path to the mansion's impressive, glass front doors. Up the stone steps lined with well-trimmed bushes… She'd never been in such an impressive piece of property. "I wonder how much they pay for upkeep…?" she whispered, glimpsing a rose garden and pool in the back yard. There were more bouncers at the front door.

"Name-" the man began to ask, but a girl with blond hair and ridiculously chunky purple earrings burst past him.

"Bl-Bling?" She shrieked.

Princess Bling nodded with a smile. "You are…?"

"Oh, my gosh! It's such a freaking honor to have you here! I'm Cate! The birthday girl!" She took Bling's hand in a surprisingly strong grip and gave it several good shakes. "Come in, come in!" She pulled Bling inside.

The main room was enormous, easily big enough to fit 4 or 5 normal sized houses. It was very dark, lit only by flashing strobe lights and a disco ball that sparkled from the ceiling. It was crowded, too – a very impressive turnout for anyone's birthday bash. To the right, several buffet tables were laden with punch, wine, and dainty snacks. The lights were pulsing to the beat of Lose Control – a song she hadn't heard in ages. Her hips began to bounce to the beat.

"Oh, wow," she breathed. Cate giggled. "You like it? You've probably heard, but – God, I just can't believe The Ebb is performing here!"

Bling's eyes widened. "They're here already?"

"Yeah, they got here a half hour ago to set up. They're so hot!" Cate stage whispered.

Bling turned to the makeshift stage at the back of the room. Sure enough, there were several boys standing atop it, tuning instruments and adjusting microphones. And – she blushed – Ren was there, taking to a man with a headset. Several groupies had already gathered around the edge of the stage, screaming names and waving pieces of paper.

"God, that's sooo embarrassing!" groaned Cate. "I told them to lay off, but I guess the hormones won out."  
Bling forced herself to laugh, unable to take her eyes off Ren.

"Wanna get a closer look?" Cate asked slyly, following Bling's gaze. Before she could say no, Cate had her wrist in a death grip and pulled her to the edge of the stage. Although she would've thought they'd surely be lost in the crowd of girls, Cate had them to the front of the mob in no time. A few of the boys looked up, throwing smiles and nods their way. Cate giggled in bashful excitement, but Bling only had eyes for Ren – the boy she'd watched for so long on screen was now right before her. A spark of adrenaline lit in her stomach and traveled up through her veins. Her heart skipped a beat when he looked up at them. His eyes swept over the girls and landed on her and Cate. Cate flung her arm up and waved wildly at him. He laughed but stopped abruptly when he saw Princess Bling. Blushing, Bling lifted her hand and gave it a small shake. Their gaze broke when Cate tugged on Bling's hoodie. "Hey, the show's gonna start in a few minutes! Wanna get a seat?"

Bling looked away from Ren and smiled at her. "Sure."

In the back of the room, several men were setting up folding chairs. The dancers in the middle of the room cleared to the sides to make room for the seating. Cate led her to the closest section of chairs to the stage and they took a seat. Cate giggled and bit her lip. "I'm sorry if I'm too… you know. It's just – God, you're such a local legend! I wasn't even totally sure you existed. I mean, well – you don't go to too many parties, and there aren't any photos of you. You just go in and do your thing! I hear you dance crazy good! How do you do it?" Cate rested her chin in her hands.

Bling blushed and thought for a moment. "Well… Since I was little, I loved to dance, but being in a rough neighborhood, there's really no place to dance safely. Then kids started coming around with stereos and old boom boxes, and I realized… I could dance. And I guess people thought highly enough of my dancing to start inviting me around. Though I still prefer to dance on the street." Her hand flew to her pendant, and she thought miserably, 'Well, I can dance as Princess Bling, but as Duck, no one would want to be around me. I'm always such a clutz when I'm myself… What is it about dressing up like this that changes me?'

"You're so confident…" sighed Cate. A group of girls wandered over to them and took Cate's attention. "Hey, ladies! Guess who's here?" she called, gesturing to Bling. The girls squealed and ran over to crowd her, breaking Bling's train of thought. She was preoccupied until the leader of The Ebb, Mott, turned on the mics and came forward on the stage. The music and strobe lights stopped, and new lights appeared on stage.

"Good evening, everyone. Gentlemen… ladies," he winked. The girls in the room went crazy. "We're here to celebrate Miss Cate Zeondo's 18th birthday. You enjoying yourself, Cate?" he called out, and Cate blushed and managed to nod. "We're going to perform some of our own hits, but we also got a hold of a list of Cate's personal favorites, so we'll cover those too. First we're performing… Pay Up!" He shot his fist into the air, and the crowd went insane. He fell back with the rest of the group, the lights dimmed, and they began to play.

The pounding bass shook the ground, and Bling took an uneasy look around her at the raging fan girls. Perhaps this hadn't been the best idea… She gripped the seat of her chair and tried to relax. Sitting still just wasn't her thing tonight – she'd come to DANCE, after all! But then, she'd known The Ebb would be performing, so what did she expect? Well, more dancing and less screaming, that's for sure. There WERE some kids dancing, but it was more of a grind and jump thing. Not much thought in that.

The song ended soon enough to save her from permanent brain damage, and they started a new track. Bling perked up – what was this song? Didn't she have it on a CD at home? She had a huge collection, though, so it wasn't too uncanny that she didn't recognize it right off the bat.

Ren took the front of the stage, and she unconsciously leaned forward in her seat, eyes huge. His vocal range was a bit higher than Mott's, so he did most of the really strenuous singing. The music started, even louder and more thunderous than in Pay Up, and she cupped her hands over her ears.

"Dear, I fear we're facing a problem," Ren started. Bling's hands slid away from her ears, and she gazed up in awe. How could he sing so… so…?  
You love me no longer, I know, and maybe there is nothing that I can do to make you do." He gaze out into the crowd with miserable eyes. Bling felt that spark slid back up her spine…  
"Mama tells me I shouldn't bother, that I ought just stick to another girl. A girl that surely deserves me… But I think you do." The bass pounded, and Ren threw his shoulders back in angst. "So I cry, I pray, and I beg! Love me, love me! Say that you love me! Fool, fool me! Go on and fool me! Love me, love me! Pretend that you love me…! Leave me, leave me… Just say that you need me…" Bling felt her face stretch into a wide grin. 'I do love you, Ren...' She thought dreamily. She gave a gasp of surprise at her own thoughts, and clapped her hands over her mouth. 'What? Do I...?' Cate turned to her, eyebrows raised. "It's nothing," Bling assured her, resuming her previous posture. But for the rest of Ren's singing, the spark didn't leave her body. Finally, the song climaxed, and Ren spread his arms, eyes closed with the intensity of his voice.

"Love me, love me!" The guitar strummed violently. His messy brown hair fell across his brow. Bling, along with probably a dozen other girls, couldn't suppress a sigh of desire.

"Fool, fool me! Love me, love me! I can't care about anything but you!" He fell from where he'd balanced on the edges of his toes and collapsed in on himself, looking adorably dejected. The song went on for a few more beats, then fell abruptly. The crowd went wild, screaming themselves hoarse, as Ren took a grateful bow and fell back into his previous spot on the back of the stage.

Bling let out a gasp of withheld amazement. "Wow... He's... he's amazing!"


	2. Chapter 2: Romeo and Cinderella

After staying up often until 2 in the morning to finish my rough draft, here is Chapter Two. But before that...

Author's notes: (because I can) Okay, I can't believe I'm actually doing this. Just for fun, I'll give you a bit of a background to how this came about. It might make this all easier to understand. Or not. lol Anyways... It's quite a long story.

We went on vacation to the Quad Cities, Illinois, (yes, it's a real place) because that's where my family is from and it is the bomb with awesome restaurants and all that. As we were driving around our old neighborhood in the city, taking in the scene, we were listening to 90s rap/hip hop on the satellite radio. And I was thinking about Princess Tutu, and I started this music video in my head...  
Long story short, I did some concept sketches on the way home that turned out crappy but that got the point across, and I did clean-up versions once we got home.  
The idea is that Princess Tutu instead takes place in a poorer part of the city, where street dancing and urban beats rule supreme as a way to stay off drugs and away from the grittier elements. Duck longs to be able to bust out some awesome moves of her own, but due to her awkward personality and social situation (she's an only child with no one around but her druggie, mostly-absent mother) she's created an alter ego who steals the spotlight at the most outrageous parties and clubs - Princess Bling. She has a mega crush on a boy from a popular new hip hop group, The Ebb, and longs to dance with him. But things will soon get out of hand, as you will see if I can in fact finish this freaking story... I'll tell you right now, I'm not good at finishing things, but if people like this, and I know I do, I just might finish this!

The crowd went absolutely wild, and Bling couldn't resist a giggle of exhilaration.

The Ebb played a few more songs before thanking their audience and bidding them a good evening. The stage lights slowly winked off, and the music from the huge speakers in the back resumed.

"Oh, they're done already?" she asked Cate, trying to keep the disappointment out of her voice.

"Yeah, but don't worry. They're sticking around for the rest of the night!" Cate grinned. "Who knows? Maybe I'll get to kiss one of them… I am the birthday girl, right?"

Bling laughed but stopped abruptly when she pictured Cate kissing Ren. She quickly shook her head and said, "Let's dance!"

Cate's eyes widened. "Really?! I mean, yeah, sure…. You are Princess Bling after all! Let's hit the dancefloor!"

They got up and Bling sauntered through the crowd towards where the music was the loudest. The mob of people got denser as they got closer, but something about the sight of Princess Bling made them part for her as she walked through.

"What CD is this?!" Bling yelled over the mindblowing bass.

"I think – hold on!" Cate headed to the DJ's booth and yelled something. The DJ grinned and gave her a thumbs up. The song halted midbeat, followed by a new one moments later.

"It's NOW 19!" Cate called to her. Bling grinned and nodded. None of that sugary sweet, clone dance music that filled the radio nowadays – this was the good stuff. Lose Control started again, and she relished the intro beat. It always reminded her of sirens for some reason – sirens that announced that something was about to go down.

Her hips began to swing. She gradually worked into the beat, letting her hips move her in a slow circle. Her feet began to pound.

Then she was on. The room was a blur as she glided, dropped and swung. She was only slightly aware of the circle that had formed around her. She caught a glimpse of Cate's face – the girl looked like she was about to have a major joy freak out.

Her arms came up, her hair brushed her face, and she dropped down to the ground.

"Holy crap!" someone yelled. The crowd roared.

She brought it back up and bounced her body to the beat, arms crossed in front of her. She winked at a few of the cuter guys in the crowd – they hollered in approval. She came forward to Cate, steps in time with the beat, and held her hand out with a smile. Cate giggled and shook her head nervously, but Bling wasn't taking no for an answer. She grabbed her and spun her out to the dancefloor, locking their arms together. Soon Cate was laughing as Bling pulled her through the dance moves. She wasn't half bad.

As it always seemed to be, too soon the song was over.

Bling and Cate broke apart, hands on each other's shoulders, laughing breathlessly. High fives and cheers swamped them, and as Bling looked into the ecstatic faces of those who approached her, she felt the success of another good time fill her. Adrenaline pounded through her veins as laughter surrounded her. She LIVED for this feeling, these times of carefree joy.

All too soon the pause between songs was over, and the second song began. The intro had the haunting undertone of an old carnival game. Her brow furrowed for a moment, trying to place it. "Oh no no no, don't phunk wit my heart," crooned a female singer. The beat began. 'Bump bump, bump' went the ground. All around, the people began to move, letting the bass carry them. Bling looked up, eyes set with determination. The mood changed once more as her feet began to tap.

"I wonder if I take you home, would it still be you love me babe, you love me babe?"

Her steps swung in time to the song as she whirled in a square. She raised her arms up and dropped into a partial split, bringing her body up forward until she was stretched into an arc. In a heartbeat she fell back into a flip, landing smoothly. All around her, gasps erupted. She spun around, about to begin another move when a hand caught her just above the hip. She whirled back in confusion and met the eyes of her captor. His eyes were a luscious gold...

Her heart rate spiked as she gasped - it was Ren.

Dizzy and faint, she weakly pulled away. His hand moved from her waist to her wrist, and he smiled gently at her. Beneath his touch her skin tingled and her veins blazed. His wide, hypnotic eyes implored her not to go...

She desperately gathered her remaining courage and twirled away from him. He moved with her, his body shadowing hers, and his hand slid over hers. She blushed at his touch. He pulled her back to him in a smooth pirouette, folding his arms around her. Bling couldn't help smiling, the blush turning her cheeks rosy pink. Gracefully, she took his hands in hers and raised them up, freeing herself to spin behind him. Back to back, they glided to the right. With his left hand he reached back and took her right. He swung her around and reached out for her. She flipped elegantly out of his reach.

"I ain't only here cause I want your body, I want your mind too. Interesting's what I find you. And I'm interested in the long haul-"

Ren's hand came up to trace just an inch from her face. Intoxicated by the moment, she took his hand and put it on her waist. He glided forward, hands on her waist, and rose her into the air. They paused gracefully for a moment, the onlookers screaming with approval. Ren extended his right hand and she took it, using it as a support to push herself up and cartwheel through the air. She landed easily as the crowd gasped in disbelief. For the rest of the song, they moved as one individual - perfectly synchronized, graceful and confident. They moved back together as the song climaxed and he dipped her slowly. His lips were just inches from hers... She couldn't help grinning in anticipation.

Then, all too soon, the song ended. He smiled and helped her up, holding her hand. Bling did her best to contain her disappointment. His eyes were unbearably mesmerizing... She felt as if her knees would buckle just looking at him. His perfect lips parted, and even through the flabbergasted clamors of the crowd around them, she clearly heard him say, "Please, what is your name?"

She blushed as the high from dancing wore off in anxiety. "Um... Princess Bling."

He laughed. "Don't be embarrassed. I think it's a cute name. Will you dance with me some more?"

A new song started in with a seductive beat. "-Ladies, let's go; soldiers, let's go-" a rapper intoned.

She smiled and held out her hand. "It would be my pleasure."

He took it, and they resumed their dance.

Time flew - their dancing might've lasted minutes or days, Bling wasn't sure - and as Try Again by Aaliyah faded from the speakers, the two slipped off to the buffet tables to relax away from the crowd.

"I love that song," she laughed breathlessly.

He laughed as well. It was a pure, clean sound, like music itself... "It does have an irresistible beat!"

"I didn't know you liked to dance so much," Bling smiled.

"It helps that my partner is you," he replied, blushing faintly.

She could find nothing to say in reply. She settled for an embarrassed giggle. Her heart was still pounding, she still felt breathless - was this all a dream? A wonderful, fantastic dream?

He surveyed the buffet table for a moment before picking a cupcake. He offered it to her. She shook her head with a smile.

"No, thank you. I'll just have some punch." She filled a cup with the tempting-looking punch. _I don't think I could eat right now anyways..._

She watched Ren shyly out of the corner of her eye as he sampled the cupcake. The boy she'd admired for so long had danced with her, and now he was standing so close to her that their arms were almost but not quite touching. Her gaze swept over his figure and paused on his perfect face. She could've watched him for the res tof eternity. There was no facade, no act - nothing but his pure beauty. She sighed inwardly as he shifted to lean against the buffet table. She felt oddly jealous of the cupcake. Blushing, she couldn't help remembering how close his lips had gotten to hers...

She gasped at the direction her thoughts had taken and quickly shook her head. He turned to her, his beautiful eyes inquisitive. "What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing." She did her best to smooth her expression into a smile and sipped the fruit punch. _What am I thinking? I'm just a fangirl, a nobody compared to who he must hang out with. I'll never get to kiss him... I might never see him again... _The revelation made her vision blur with tears. The cup she held began to shake.

She felt his eyes on her, and raised her eyes to meet his gaze. She nearly gasped, her eyes wide, when she saw his expression. He looked concerned... about her?

"Really, are you alright?" he asked.

She giggled shakily. "Yeah, I'm fine. I just..." her voice trailed off, and she gazed sadly at her cup.

"Where are you from? What's your story?" he asked, trying to distract her from whatever was upsetting her.

Unfortunately, this was one topic Bling had been hoping to avoid. "I... well... I live here in the Quad Cities, and... um..." She bit her lip. _What should I say? What can I say? That I live in an awful neighborhood and my real name is Duck? That the place I call home is a run-down house I can't keep tidy because I'm too busy trying to pay the rent? That my mother is never home? That... that... But... I have to say something positive... Something safe... If he knew the truth, he'd never want to speak to me again..._ "I've liked dancing for a long time, and I just kept practicing at home and on the street until I was okay at it."

"Okay?" He laughed. That sound... She could feel it echo in her veins, her heart. "You're a beautiful dancer. You have grace and class that most dancers don't, from what I've seen. I'm very lucky to have seen it myself."

She felt him take her hand and couldn't resist beaming with delight. "You're quite the dancer yourself. You sing flawlessly as well. I'm lucky... to have met you."

"Thank you. It hasn't been easy to get where I'm at."

"So, what's your story?" she asked.

"Well, since I was little I've had a passion for singing and dancing. When I got older I entered a lot of talent shows, and performing came naturally for me. I never had to act - I just let my true feelings channel into my performances. I got an agent, and a recording label offered me a place in a band they were organizing - The Ebb."

"I love your music!" she couldn't help blurting out. "I mean, your band, um-" She froze in horror. _Oh, no, what am I saying?! Now I do sound like a fangirl!_ "I - uh - I mean-"

He smiled and reached towards her. With a touch as gentle as a feather, he caressed her cheek. His eyes were startlingly kind.

"You're cute when you stutter."

Bling's eyes softened. She covered his hand with her own and held it to her. Never before had she lived a moment so heartbreakingly bittersweet.

_Oh, Ren... If only I could tell you how I feel... If only you didn't ever have to go..._

The moment was broken by the majestic chiming of several grandfather clocks at once. A slow song was playing, the chimes easily heard over it.

Gasping, Bling turned towards the sound. "What time is it?!"

Ren pulled a silver cellphone out of his pocket. "...Midnight. Why?"

"Oh no!" She cried. _I have school in the morning, and more homework and chores to do! _"I'm sorry, I have to leave!"

"No, please, wait!" he cried in despair. "It's not so late yet! Please stay!"

Her heart broke as she recognized the anguish in his voice. "I'm sorry, I must leave! I can't stay. I'm sorry..." She turned to go.

"Wait! At least... at least give me your number," he implored, the moonlight turning his eyes and hair silver.

"I - I can't!" Her voice broke. "I don't have a phone..." she cupped her face in her hands, "...because I can't afford to pay the bill!" She lifted her face, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I'm not a fabulous socialite - I'm poor, and I-" Her voice cut off into sobs.

His arms went around her and pulled her to him. Her heart skipped a beat as she felt his warmth, his closeness... She let herself go limp against him for a moment, inhaling his scent. It reminded her of fresh, cool autumn leaves... He reached up and smoothed away her tears.

"No, I must go!" She forced herself to pull away.

"I'm sorry - I mean, I understand if you don't like me..." he whispered.

She whirled around in dismay. "No, that's not it at all! Ren... I... I..." Their eyes locked, but she couldn't bring herself to say it. _I only have eyes for you!_

Tears threatened to overflow her eyes once more. She dashed away, leaving Ren aghast where he stood.

"Why... why must you leave?" He reached towards her weakly as she disappeared into the crowd.

She let herself sob as she fought through the crowd. "Excuse me - please-" The tears dropped freely down her face. The renewed pounding bass and dark, suffocating atmosphere held no pity for her dilemma. The people looked at her in confusion as she made her way to the front doors. Cate was one of the many she passed. Her eyes widened as she took in Bling's face.

"Bling?! What's wrong? Are you okay?" Worry flooded her voice.

Bling managed a shaky smile. "Don't worry about me. Cate, I hope you had a good birthday."

Cate smiled back uncertainly. "Well, if you say so... And thanks, I did. I'm glad you were here. If you ever need anything, you know where I am, 'kay?"

Bling nodded and returned Cate's hug gladly. If nothing else, she knew she'd gained a friend.

At last she burst through the front doors. It was a relief to be out of the sweltering crowd and into the cool night air. The bouncer looked at her uneasily. "Are you alright, miss?"

"I will be," she replied, hurrying down the steps. Once she was within sight of the gate, she broke into a run, straightening the wings in her hair that threatened to fall out. She didn't dare look back, for fear that she would see a pair of beautiful golden eyes that would convince her to stay...


	3. Chapter 3: Butterfly on Her Shoulder

The next day, Duck seriously considered not going to school. She lay in bed long after her alarm clock went off, playing last night's events over and over in her head. _It was midnight… I had to leave. But… maybe… yes, I should've stayed for just one more dance. One more dance with him… with Ren… Oh, I'm so sorry, Ren… I'm so sorry… I should have stayed!_ She miserably squirmed deeper into her tear-stained pillow.

_I couldn't bring myself to tell him… how I felt… It would've only made things worse! He was so sad… could it be that - ? But – even if he did really like me, he only saw Princess Bling in her cool outfit… not the real me._

She sighed. It had been a long night. Although she would've liked to have flung herself into bed and sleep her heartbreak away, there'd still been laundry to do and Algebra homework to finish. By the time she'd made it to her room, she'd been too tired to properly take care of her dirty clothes. Her Princess Bling outfit now laid on the floor, rumpled and somehow looking dejected. Her pendant, however, was back on its hanger. Even deep in exhaustion, she would've felt even guiltier not giving it the respect it deserved. The last thing she remembered before crawling into bed was glancing at the time on her alarm clock – 1:13 AM. It was now 6:50 AM. She'd be running on only five and a half hours of sleep. But she had a few tests to take in school that day, and to stay home would mean she'd have to make them up on Monday.

_It's finally Friday. Today's the last weekday. I can do this! _She thought as optimistically as possible.

It didn't really work.

She sighed again. When it came down to it, no matter how she felt, she simply had to go to school. She threw the covers off and laid there for one more moment.

_Come on, lazy, get up. GET UP GET UP GET UP –_

"Alright!" Duck hopped out of bed. "Let's do this!" She cleaned up, got dressed and saved Bling's outfit from where it laid scattered on the floor. Before depositing it into the laundry machine, she squeezed it tight against her. If she closed her eyes, she could still detect Ren's scent, hidden amongst the fabric… She breathed it in desperately, unwilling to let the memory of their dance fade. Misery once more crept up from her toes deep into her chest. It lay there, heavy inside her heart, resisting each breath she took. A now-familiar prickly feeling settled in her eyes. _What I'd give for him to just hold me one more time… To hear him say he forgives me for being a liar…!_ Her eyes squeezed tightly shut. Against her will, a single tear escaped down her cheek. Her head snapped up in surprise.

"No! This isn't it!" Duck's voice rang with newfound confidence. She rubbed away the tear impatiently. "I won't give up! I won't! The dancing, the laughing… There was something there! There had to be…" She paused for a moment, gathering her thoughts. She gently set her Princess Bling outfit into the washing machine and hurried to put on her pendant. Without its fancy gold chain and decals, it looked modest yet reliable. She traced its smooth, curved surface with pride. "As long as there's a way, I'll never give up! If it's true there was something…" the memory of the kindness in his eyes flashed through her mind. "I won't give up… It can't all be for nothing…"

She stood there, deep in thought. Her concentration was broken by a fluttering of wings at the bedroom window. "Hm?" She opened the curtains. Outside, a large flock of birds were impatiently pecking and scratching at the glass.

Duck smiled. "I'm sorry, but I'm all out of crumbs for you! Well, I mean, I probably could scrape some up, but I have to leave for school soon, so tomorrow, okay?"

She turned around. "Speaking of school, what time is it…?"

The alarm clock now read 7:23.

"OH NO I'M GOING TO BE LATE!" She sprinted down the stairs, threw open a cupboard and grabbed a packet of oatmeal. She hastily dumped some milk in and set it in the microwave. The whole time it cooked she whirled around the house, gathering her books and grabbing her backpack. Just as the microwave went off, she snatched out the oatmeal and dug in. Her eyes never left the clock the whole time she ate, though it seemed the closer she watched it the faster time went. _It's mocking me_, she scowled.

Finally, her bowl was empty. She threw it into the sink and jammed on her shoes. It was now 7:29. She sprinted out the door and down the sidewalk. "See you tonight!" she called back to the birds perched around her window. She raced by the various grimy buildings that were just being lit by the silver early morning light. Along the street a few people were outside on their front steps, lounging or smoking cigarettes. The scent of bar food, gasoline and cut grass filled the air. It could've been any other morning, but there was a new spark in the air. Maybe it was just Duck's renewed enthusiasm at work, but all around the air seemed to have a twinge of magic. The people were talking with more life than usual, and their faces were lit with content. The morning breeze was warm, and Duck let out a laugh of joy as she dashed to school.

A few minutes later Duck found herself at her locker, trying desperately to keep several heavy books from toppling out. She sighed. Maybe the joy she'd felt earlier had been an untimely surge of chemicals.

"Duck!" Pique and Lilie raced over to her.

"Oh, Pique! Lilie! Good morning!" Duck managed as she threw herself against the books.

"Oh, Duck, do you want some help?! Here!" Lilie knocked Duck into the locker. "EEK! STOP THAT HURTS!" Duck shrieked.

"Lilie! What are you doing?" Pique pulled Lilie off of Duck.

"Aw, she needed help, and she's so cute I couldn't resist!" Lilie giggled.

"So… um… did you guys hear about how Cate Zeondo's party went last night?" Duck asked.

Pique perked up. "Oh, man, did I ever! I walked past some people who went this morning, and they said it was crazy! I wish I could've gone, it sounded so ridiculous!"

"Really? I'm so jealous of that girl, getting to meet The Ebb… so lucky!" gushed Lilie.

_So word's gotten out already... I wonder what people have been saying._ "Was Princess Bling there?" Duck prodded.

Pique's expression grew solemn. "Yeah, I think I heard something about her. And earlier today, I saw something online about how she ran out all upset. She and Ren had some sort of spat, I think. I bet he was probably a jerk to her."

"Oh, isn't that the way it usually goes?" Lilie sighed. "All of these popular guys are awful… Poor Princess Bling. I thought she was supposed to be friendly. I wonder what went wrong?"

Duck turned from them to hide her expression. She sorted through her notebooks, lost in thought. _Oh, no, it wasn't Ren's fault! It was mine... I feel even worse now. People will be spreading rumors now... But I can't say anything. I can't let them know that I'M Princess Bling..._

"Who knows? I hope they'll be okay. I wonder what Cate must've thought... What a party, right?!" Pique added.

"Yeah... So, what are you guys doing this weekend?" Duck changed the subject.

"Oh, nothing. Nothing to do really but homework and chores. But, hey! We should go somewhere this weekend! We haven't gone anywhere together in a while!" Pique grinned.

Lilie nodded. "I've saved up some of my allowance, and it sounds like such fun! What about you, Duck?"

Duck smiled in relief. "Sure! What should we do?"

Pique frowned thoughtfully. "Well, we can't go anywhere too far obviously, 'cause none of us have our permit yet."

"I'm getting mine in a few months! Then we can go just about anywhere in the city!" Lilie intoned.

"Well, I hear some kids are going to bring some stereos out to Lincoln Park in Rock Island. We could call a cab or walk, though it'd be a ways..."

"Aw, man... I'm practically broke!" Duck slouched. _I do have a few bucks, but I was saving up for something like a new shirt or CD..._

"Aw, she looks so disappointed! Let's not go at all, she looks so cute when she's upset!" squealed Lilie.

"Lilie! It's okay, Duck, I have some money. How about we go tomorrow, on Saturday?"

"Alright! But I'll have some work to do... Can we meet up after I get them done?"

"Sure. Let's meet in front of the gas station on the corner of the block."

"Okay, I'll be there!" The bell rang, interrupting their conversation.

Later on after school, Duck was mopping the floor. "Yeesh... How long has it been since I last mopped?" She wiped her forehead. "The floor is so dusty... Phew! I still have to get part of the living room, but then I'll be finished. It'll still be a while before I'm done, though. So...!" She flounced over to the giant stereo. It was one of her most prized possessions. It was fairly old, but it worked, and besides, the bass was amazing. She sorted through the large stack of CDs next to it but found nothing that looked appealing. "No big deal!" She turned the stereo on and set it to her favorite radio station.

"You're listening to 96.1... Today's Hits and Yesterday's Favorites. Here's a request," an announcer chirped.

"There! That's more like it!" She grabbed the mop and resumed cleaning. Then the song began, and she froze. Why did it sound familiar, and yet not?

"Dear, I fear we're facing a problem..." a woman purred.

The mop fell out of Duck's hands.

_Ren..._

"...you love me no longer, I know, and maybe there is nothing I can do... to make you to."

Duck's lip quivered. Why this song, and why now?!

"So I cry, and I pray, and I beg..."

Duck's hips began to sway. She closed her eyes. She remembered Ren's hands on hers, his luscious eyelashes...

Then she was twirling through the room. The walls were a blur, the room startlingly still compared to the young girl dancing fluidly in its center. She didn't take note of any of this, though - her dizzying movements mirrored her rushing thoughts, the memories of the night... She twirled around with the mop gracefully, braid flying out behind her like a ribbon. The rush, the adrenaline - the excitement... It all came back in a solid wall of memory. Eyes closed, she let the music move her as a puppet.

"Love me, love me - Say that you love me! Leave me, leave me, just say that you need me! I can't care 'bout..."

She pressed her palm on top of the mop's handle and pushed herself into the air, arcing high above the ground-

"...anything but you!"

She smiled, blushing. _Ren... Even now, I can still remember every moment, every word... Like this morning, it seems the magic you brought never left..._

__The song faded out, leaving Duck to contemplate in the quiet. "It almost felt like Ren was here... and dancing with me again!" She hugged herself and squealed with excitement. "I wonder... I wonder if he heard the song? I wonder if he thought of me? Or... Princess Bling, at least?" She gazed at the mop in her hands.

"Wait... Speaking of Princess Bling... I've never danced this well outside of being her!" She remembered flipping into the air and went pale. The balance it took to do such a leap with a flimsy mop... She stared at it in awe, as if it alone had been responsible for the incredible move. Not even the best dancers on the block could do such a thing... At least, none that Duck had ever seen.

"It must be magic... But what magic is it? Mm... I bet it won't last long. The time I spent with Ren was a one-time thing, I'm sure of it. And soon, the magic will fade with him..." Duck sighed in misery. "Wait - what ever happened to having hope?! I do have hope, I do! I DO I DO I DO!" She mopped the floor with a newfound determination, spinning all around the room. Water flew from the ragged mop all around.

"I will see him someday. I will; I know it!"


	4. Chapter 4: Sigh

Saturday night, Duck dragged herself through the front door. "See you later, Duck!" Pique and Lilie called from the taxi. She tried to wave at them, but she was so exhausted it looked more like she was trying to bat away a gnat.

"Wow… That was a lot of fun… But now I'm wiped!" She tried unsuccessfully to climb up the stairs and tripped, falling flat on her face. "Jeez."

Yawning, she picked herself up off the floor and zigzagged into the kitchen. Fighting to keep her eyes open, she pulled an apple from the fridge and flopped onto the couch. She sat there for a few moments, munching and thinking over the night. She'd had an awesome time… Not as awesome as when she went as Princess Bling, but awesome in its own way. At least as Duck, she could chill with Pique and Lilie. The memory of the jokes and gossip they'd shared made Duck smile. And of course, as always, the music was killer. Tonight, B.I.G and Jay-Z had dominated the play list. Despite how sore her face was already from smiling so much at the gathering, her grin widened.

_Those kids dance so good… And of all people, Rue was there too! _The memory of Rue dancing, so confident and passionately, made Duck sigh wistfully. _I bet I could dance as good as any of them, if only they'd give me a chance. But… _Duck looked down at her outfit. A plain white t-shirt over a camisole (so the t-shirt wouldn't be see-through) and her only clean pair of jeans. On her feet were her usual white sneakers, but whenever she went out as Princess Bling she took time to scrub them into good shape. Tonight they were a dull cream, with pieces of grass stuck here and there. Rue, on the other hand, had been wearing a jean skort, fur boots, and a killer black tee with sequins. She sighed. "It's the best I could do, but… Let's face it, it sucks." _And on top of that…_ She squirmed uncomfortably. _To be honest, most of them aren't white… They wouldn't take a little white girl seriously. Rue is different… She's rich and takes dance classes… I don't have money, and unless I have the confidence of Princess Bling, I can't dance… This sucks!_ She frowned. _It won't always be like this… will it…?_

"Well, when the going gets tough, the tough watch TV," she intoned, remembering something her mother had once said. Though that somehow didn't apply to the situation, and her mother had been drunk when she'd said it, it still seemed like solid advice. Duck turned on the TV and sat back to finish the apple. It was still set on the local news station.

"We're here tonight for an exclusive interview with The Ebb, just minutes before they depart for Chicago, where they have a sold-out concert next Friday," a reporter narrated.

Duck froze. "What? They're leaving already? But… They just got here. I mean…" Her chest grew tight. _I thought I would see him again… _She stared down at the apple in her hands. _I guess I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up._

The group appeared on screen, wearing jackets and sweatshirts and looking, for all intensive purposes, ready to catch their flight.

Duck's brow furrowed. "What…? Ren's not with them. But… he's one of the main members." She turned the apple nervously in her hands. "That's strange."

The interview dragged on with no sign of Ren. Duck tilted her head in confusion. _Why wouldn't he be leaving with them…? Unless… Maybe… he's staying?! _A spark of hope warmed her.

But without a mention of Ren staying or otherwise, the interview ended. The Ebb were about to board their plane, and the reporter narrating offered a few closing statements. Back on the couch, Duck yawned and finished her apple. She was so tired… Maybe she just hadn't been able to spot Ren. After all, she was so exhausted, she could barely see straight…

Then the reporter asked, "Where's Ren? Will he be at Friday's concert?"

At this confirmation of her thoughts, Duck straightened up from where she'd slouched down on the couch.

The Ebb glanced at each other solemnly. Mott answered the reporter grimly. "As of Friday, Ren was no longer a member of The Ebb."

The apple fell out of Duck's hands.

And with that, The Ebb boarded the plane and was gone.

* * *

Author's note: Phew... First off, I'm sorry you had to wait so long for these chapters! I've been very busy with other projects and this little thing called life, so it takes me forever to type and edit these. I hope it's worth it. :) I know this chapter isn't very long, but it gets the point across and I promise that the next chapter will be considerably longer. :)

Btw, as to the naming of the chapters (why do they have these weird names? IT MAKES NO SENSE!) if there are any otakus here, I'm sure they'll figure it out. Perhaps they already know... And even if you don't actually get it, it doesn't take much logic to guess the meanings. ;) For those of you who haven't caught on by the next few chapters, I might let you in on the secret.


	5. Chapter 5: Gate to Memory

About two weeks later, Duck was lying in bed, arms wrapped around her pillow, staring up at the creamy paint on the ceiling.

_He's… just gone._ She bit her lip. Although her body was still, her mind was racing and her heart was pounding. She sighed, releasing some of her turmoil, and her body relaxed a little. _I don't understand… Why? Where did he go? After all that's happened… This was the ending? It just doesn't make sense… Why?!_

The morning after the interview had aired, she'd thrown on her sweater and raced miles to the television station headquarters. She'd asked after the reporter who'd led the interview, but he'd quickly grown impatient with her when he realized she was only concerned about Ren. Dismissing her as another obsessed fangirl, he'd belittlingly told her to go home and forget about him. Remembering this, Duck's forehead scrunched with a scowl. "I am NOT a fangirl… Well, at least, not a normal one. I actually got to dance and talk with him, and… and…" _…And I think he liked me back…_

Her eyes swept the dark bedroom absently. Through the open window she could hear crickets and the gentle night breeze. Not wanting to disturb the quiet, she slowly slid out of bed and padded over to it. Resting her elbows on the windowsill, she sighed again. A few stars shone through the dull city lights and gazed down at her. She wondered if they knew and understand her problems. It couldn't hurt to ask.

"Um, if anyone's up there… What am I supposed to do now? I have no way to reach him, Ren… And he doesn't even know my real name. It feels useless." She cringed, rubbing her arms. "I guess I've finally hit the roadblock. I… I don't know what to do."

She waited a few minutes for an answer. Neither the stars nor anyone else replied, but she felt a little better having gotten it out. She stayed there for a little longer, humming a gentle tune. Her troubles pushed aside for the night, she finally headed back to bed and let the stars ponder her worries.

The next day, walking to class in the hallways with Pique and Lilie, she decided to try her hand at catching some advice from actual people. With her confidence renewed, she began.

"Hey… guys? Um, have you ever, uh…" She wrung her hands. "Have you ever, um, had a friend that you wanted to see again but they didn't really know who you were and you had no way to contact them? How would you find someone like that?"

They blinked at her blankly, then smiled at each other widely in understanding. "WHO IS IT?!" They grabbed her shoulders and leaned in close to her.

"No one! I mean – no, what do YOU mean by 'who is it?'" Duck stuttered, blushing.

"Oh, c'mon, you can't just cover it up like that! Who is it? Some guy, right? Who is he?" Pique giggled with anticipation. "Oh, I bet it's going to be like one of those-"

"-One of those fairytale scenarios, right?" Lilie finished.

"N-no! It's nothing like that… besides, fairytales aren't real." Duck remembered the party. "Well, not in the sense you're talking about…"

"Oh, Duck! You can't just give up like that. That's so like you – getting your own hopes up and crushing them yourself." Pique sighed and patted her shoulder. "You'll see. You just need to get up your courage and put yourself out there!"

"But I can't! I-I don't know how to even talk to him-"

"Oh, so you do have a crush-!"

Their banter was interrupted when a group of obnoxious boys in torn jeans came barreling through. They headed straight by the girls, bumping them out of the way.

"Hey!" Duck protested as her books got knocked out of her hands. "My stuff!"

"Here, we'll help." Lilie and Pique bent to help her collect her things.

"No, it's okay, I got it!" Duck protested. "You guys go ahead – I'll catch up!"

"Oh, Duck, that's so adorable, you looking out for others!" Lilie gushed.

"Well, if you're sure," Pique hesitated. "We'll tell Mr. Gato it's not your fault. See you in class!" They disappeared into the crowd of students.

Duck scrambled to get her things. "No – wait – don't step on that!" The passerby knocked and jumbled her stuff away. "Come on, can't you – oof!" Someone tripped over her, swearing. Duck was knocked onto her stomach. "Talk about being kicked when you're down…" She muttered in misery.

Thankfully, the crowd cleared within a few moments. Duck picked up her books, mentally cursing the dirt and crooked pages now scarring the once clean pages. "Well, I guess it could've been worse…"

As she reached for the last notebook, a hand brushed hers. "Huh?" She looked up.

Golden eyes met hers.

Duck's heart skipped a beat. It was a boy, just a little older than her, and his eyes… They were a luscious gold. The light from the windows in the hall made pinpricks of light dance across his irises, just like the stars from last night.

_Re… Re… _She couldn't bring herself to even think it. _It – It can't be…!_

A boy with the same eyes as her beloved Ren was kneeling next to her.

Their hands moved away from each other's at the contact, but Duck found herself paralyzed otherwise. She couldn't move, could barely breath – her heart rate spiked once more, in a way it hadn't in weeks. Their stare at each other held for what seemed an eternity. The hallway and anyone else in it disappeared – it seemed to be only them.

Then Duck saw the rest of him.

_His eyes are… are… golden. And his eyelashes… are thick and black. His nose, his chin… It's all the same… But his hair_ _–_ Her eyes widened in disbelief – _His hair is white!_

_ But… Who else could it be? Who else in this world would look just like him? Like… Ren?_

Duck swallowed. "Re… Ren…?" Her voice sounded so small and uncertain…

The boy blinked at her, his eyelashes flashing down and back up. "Who's that?"

Duck felt her body grow numb. "Who… Who's Ren?! What do you mean?! You're… Aren't you?!"

They both stood, Duck's arms wrapped tight around her things. "You…"

Another boy appeared. His eyes took in Duck with an odd suspicion.

Duck looked at this new boy in confusion. _That's… Who is he? Oh, I remember, he's Fakir! I hear he's an awesome dancer, like Rue… He goes to school here too, but… Why is he looking at me like that? It's unnerving…_

"Who are you?" Fakir asked Duck.

"I – um – I'm Duck." She blushed. _Why is he talking to me?_

"Shouldn't you be in the middle school?"

Any admiration Duck had for him up to this point left her. She scowled. "I'm not a middle schooler, I'm a sophomore!"

Fakir's gaze left her. "Whatever." He turned to the boy with golden eyes. "Come on, let's go. We're late to class as it is." He took Ren's doppleganger by the wrist and began to lead him away.

Duck watched in confusion and disbelief as the arrogant Fakir took the boy she suspected was Ren away. She bit her lip in turmoil, then made her decision.

"WAIT!" She shouted.

"What is it now?" Fakir asked her impatiently.

She raced up to the boy with golden eyes. "What's your name? You're… You're Ren, right-?"

Fakir stepped in front of the boy. "What did you just call him…?" His voice had taken on a low and threatening tone.

Frightened, Duck took a step back. "Re… Ren…"

Fakir glared at her for a few more intimidating moments. "His name is not Ren. It's Mytho."


	6. Chapter 6: Meltdown

Duck stared at Fakir. _Mytho?! What kind of name is that?! He's not Mytho, he's Ren… Isn't he?!_

Mytho looked at her. "Do… I know you?" His voice had a tilt of confusion.

Fakir didn't take his eyes off Duck. "No, you don't. Now come on!" He put his arm around Mytho and led him away, letting his threatening gaze linger on Duck for another moment.

Duck watched them go in silence. She felt paralyzed with shock – her knees were weak with seeing those golden eyes again, but also with the silent threat Fakir's stare had carried. She stumbled forward, trying to say something, but her voice failed her.

_I don't understand…! Why was Fakir so angry at me? And why was Ren acting like that? He is Ren – I know it! But why is his hair white? And… and…_

_Why did his eyes look so empty?_

There was a thud as her books dropped from her arms. She fell to her knees and sat in silence, absorbing in shock what had happened.

Duck spent the remaining part of the day searching in vain for the mysterious Mytho. She scanned every face in the halls and peered around every corner, but couldn't find him.

She trudged in misery to her second-to-last class of the day. Left to her own devices, she began to doubt what she'd seen. _I think I'm going crazy… If Mytho isn't Ren, I must've scared him… I should apologize at least for being a creep._ She cringed. _Ouch… A creep? Really? Well… I came up to him all desperately and called him someone he supposedly isn't, so… Yeah, I guess. Man, I feel so bad._

Slouching gloomily, she headed into class, contemplating what to say if and when she ever got to speak to Mytho again.

She made an effort to raise her chin just a tiny bit, trying not to look too bummed out – and gasped.

Sitting there, in a desk close to the far wall, was Mytho.

Immediately, she felt her face grow painfully, obviously red. _Nothing to do 'cept stay calm and organized and lower my heart rate and stay calm and stay calm! Don't freak out… I'm sure he's probably already forgotten about what happened this morning, right? He must've… RIGHT?! _She forced herself to march stiffly over to her desk. Using all of her focus, she made it to the seat without trembling or twitching. Giving a tiny sigh of relief, she carefully set her things on the desktop and allowed herself to glance at him.

He was sitting close to a window, not too far from her. The bright sunlight, contrasting with the dimly lit room, danced around him and illuminated his figure. His hair was so white… She blushed again. _I wonder why his hair's white… It's not even blond, just… white. How strange…_

She twiddled her thumbs nervously, staring at her lap. _He hasn't noticed that I'm here yet… But when he does… Oh, what will he say? What will he do? I'm still so embarrassed about what happened…_

Duck looked up at the clock on the wall. Class wouldn't start for several more moments. If she wanted to say something, now was the time to do it! She took a deep breath. _I can do it!_

Squinching her brow in concentration, she got up and walked jerkily to him. He looked up from his open notebook. It was blank.

"Hi, um, I'm Duck! I just wanted to say… yeah, um…" She forgot what she'd planned to say as soon as his eyes met hers. "I… um…" His eyes, though beautifully golden, were empty. There was something missing from them… She blinked. _It's like he's not even seeing me…_

A figure brushed by her, practically knocking her out of the way. "Hey-!" Duck turned to face her accoster. Her voice cut off when she saw who it was. "Fakir?! What…?! But… You're not in this class!"

Fakir's stern gaze crushed any courage she had down to zero. He turned to Mytho. "Mytho, you forgot your Geometry book in class and I thought you might need it. Seeing as this is Geometry." He set it on the desk.

"Oh. Thanks, Fakir." Mytho's eyes were touched with warmth for a moment. Fakir nodded gruffly.

Fakir, remembering Duck, turned back around. "Now, what is it you…" He stopped when he saw her expression.

She was in the middle of a reverie.

_That's Ren's voice. That… That is Ren. _She took a moment to absorb this.

_Mytho is Ren._

Duck was absolutely stunned, and it showed clearly on her face, being reunited with her beloved Ren. _He's changed! His eyes are so empty, and his hair… What is he doing here with Fakir?_

_No matter! Ren, we're back together at last!_

"What's your name?!" She leaned across the desk to Mytho eagerly.

Fakir glared at her. "Again with this?! His name is Mytho-"

"NO! I mean his real name! Who are you?!" Her eyes were wide.

Mytho looked at her in confusion. "I'm Mytho."

"No, you're not! I know you! You're-"

Fakir grabbed her arm. "Not another word."

His voice was so chilling that her heart skipped a beat. Goosebumps crept up her back. "But… But he's…"

"He's nothing to you. You know nothing about him."

Her lips began to wobble.

Fakir released her. "NEVER come near Mytho again." He stood there for a moment, icy gaze pressing on her, then turned and left the room.

Duck's stomach churned. She took a step back, stumbled, then fell. The rest of the class stared at her. She felt the heat of embarrassment and rage travel up her neck to her cheeks.

"Duck? Are you alright?" The teacher prodded in worry. "What happened?"

Duck said nothing, just shook her head. She felt the tears coming, and not wanting Mytho or anyone else to see, she got to her feet shakily and bolted from the room.


	7. Chapter 7: Hate You

Duck made it into the hallway before she tripped. Her hands flashed out against the wall and she just barely caught herself. Breathing heavily and trying to contain her tears, she slumped against it. Nothing made sense – Fakir's hatred, Ren's disappearance, or Mytho's emergence. Struggling past her blurry vision, she looked up to see Fakir's receding back. A burning anger seared through her chest.

_I didn't come all this way and make a fool of myself just to be told off by someone like him. He's the coward, confronting me in class like that. How dare he?! What's his problem?!_

Her blue eyes snapped and flashed with steam. The happenings of this past month… It was all just too much. It took no effort for her to get steadily to her feet and storm towards him. The steam in her eyes and fire in her veins fueled her rage until she burst.

"FAKIR!"

He halted. Slowly, he turned around to face her. "You again. Did I not make myself clear?!"

"Oh, yes, you did too make yourself clear! Way too clear, in fact. Who do you think you are, talking to me like that?! What exactly do you have against me talking to Re – Mytho?!"

The space between them had quickly shrunk down to a mere two feet. The air itself seemed to shimmer with the intensity of their glares.

"There you go again, almost slipping up with his name. I know who I am – I'm looking out for Mytho. But YOU'RE a fool, not seeing the sense in what I'm doing."

"Sense in what?!" Duck couldn't stop herself from adding – "Being a jerk?!"

That seemed to hit a nerve. Fakir's cheeks flooded with red, and his dark green eyes shone with an angry light. "Sense in protecting him!"

"In protecting him?" Duck was caught off guard.

"For someone who acted like you caught on, you're clueless! Just forget the whole thing, and leave Mytho alone." Fakir gave a snort of disbelief and began to walk away.

But Duck's mind was still busy at work, and it didn't take her but half a moment to put two and two together. "Protect him? From what?!" _What is he talking about? Why would he protect someone supposedly ordinary like Mytho? Unless… _The gears in Duck's head clicked once again.

"…Mytho isn't normal, is he, Fakir?"

Fakir paused. "What business is it of yours?"

Duck couldn't help but grin when he dodged the question. He was just confirming everything she'd already thought… "He isn't normal at all, right, Fakir?"

Fakir didn't reply, but his back tensed just the slightest bit.

Duck was starting to enjoy herself. "He's really, seriously not normal, right, Fakir?"

Fakir's hands balled into fists.

"He's really special, right?" Duck had to work to keep a sing-song tone out of her voice. She was elated – his behavior gave him away. He knew just as well as Duck that Mytho was not really Mytho at all, but Ren.

"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?!" Fakir lashed out, whipping around.

"I just want to know the truth! I want to – I want to know –" _I want to hear that Mytho really is Ren._

Fakir stared at her for a moment. "…I knew people like you would pop up sooner or later, but I didn't expect it this soon."

Duck was immediately confused. "What…?!"

Fakir gave a sigh of exasperation. "Fangirls. Fine, then… What do you want to know? Or, rather, guess, and I'll tell you if you're right. As long as you'll agree to stay away from Mytho from now on."

_Fangirls?! What?! Well, if Mytho really is Ren, Ren does have fangirls… So, Fakir's trying to keep fangirls away from him? I'm so confused… But never mind, this isn't the right time to think about this! Stay focused!_ Duck clenched her fingers tight together and took a deep breath. "Okay."

"Fine. Then guess away."

They stared at each other as Duck found her voice.

"Is… Is he… I mean, is he named… Is his true name… Is it…"

Fakir quickly grew impatient. "Hurry up and spit it out! I'm way past late to class."

"Is Mytho… Ren?"

Fakir's eyes widened for a moment in surprise, but quickly went back to narrow, glaring slits. "Maybe you're not as oblivious as your appearance suggests."

"Is he…?!" Duck's voice was barely more than an intense whisper.

The air around them disappeared. Her throat tightened as she waited to hear his reply. The whole world seemed to be moving in slow motion – his lips slowly parted…

Her hands were clenched into desperately impatient fists…

"Yes."

Duck inhaled sharply. Her face slowly contorted in a range of emotions as she absorbed this_. He really is Ren… Really and truly._

Fakir watched her apprehensively, expecting her to burst with joy. He was right – sort of.

"I WAS RIGHT!" She hugged herself in elation and gave a squeal. "I WAS RIGHT I WAS RIGHT I WAS – "

"Keep it down!" Fakir cut her off sharply. "Idiot!"

Duck's smile dropped off quickly. "What, I can't be happy?"

Fakir sighed impatiently. "Idiot. What do you think the other fangirls will do if they find out? You'd better keep quiet. Things could… get bad if you don't." Duck couldn't tell if he was threatening her, or if he was being honest. Something seemed off about his gaze… He didn't meet her eyes at the end of the sentence.

"Of course I'll keep quiet!" Duck contemplated all of this for a moment. _Wait… If Ren is part of a big music group… Why is he still here in the Quad Cities? And why has he changed? _She bit her lip.

_ I can't ask… Fakir thinks I'm just another nosy fangirl… I can't let him know what connection I have to Ren._

The warmth in her body from being reunited with Ren disappeared. _I… I'm back to where I started._

"If you're done, I really need to get class," Fakir interrupted coldly.

"R-Right…" Duck tentatively smiled at him. "Thanks for telling me the truth."

"Oh, I'm not doing you any favors. I'll do what I have to to protect… Mytho. I only did this to keep you from sticking your big nose anywhere else. We made a deal. I kept my part. Now you'd better keep yours. Stay. Away. From. Him."

Duck cringed. "I… I guess…" She looked down at her wringing hands.

They stayed like that for a second longer. Then, with one last meaningful glare, Fakir took his leave.

Left by herself, Duck sat crunched up against the wall. _I… I've found him again. My Ren… But he's not Ren anymore. What if… What if he doesn't like Bling anymore? What if he doesn't remember her? I'm surprised he didn't see the similarity between me and her… We're not that different, are we? Does that mean he forgot?_

_ Fakir wants me to stay away… But…_

The bell rang, and students filed out of their classrooms in the hall. The clatter of footsteps and laughter dispersed all around her. Duck looked up in time to catch a glimpse of snow-white hair. A pair of golden eyes rested on her.

Her heart skipped a beat.

Mytho made his way over to her. His eyes appraised her curiously. After a hesitant moment, he held his hand out to help her up.

Blushing, Duck took it.

_I don't think I'll be able to._

* * *

__Author's notes: Things are finally coming together! I'm really excited for the next few chapters. Things are going to get even crazier. There are many more characters to be introduced - some from the anime, and some that are OCs but will also play meaningful parts in the story.

I realized I haven't given you all the names of the songs that have played in this story so far! THe soundtrack is one of the coolest things about this story - in all honesty, without music to inspire me, there would be no Princess Bling. I came up with the story while listening to music, after all! So if you're interested, here is Princess Bling's playlist.

Chapter 1: The songs The Ebb sings don't exist, except for Ren's solo: Lovefool by Newfound Glory.

Chapter 2: Lose Control by Missy Elliott, Don't Phunk With My Heart by The Black Eyed Peas, Don't Cha by The Pussycat Dolls. All three of these are actually on NOW 20, which I was listening to while writing the chapter :)

Chapter 3: Lovefool by The Cardigans (this is the original; the one Ren sang was a male cover)

There will be more songs in coming chapters (DEFINITELY) and I can't wait to include them! :)

Btw, the chapter names also count! Chapter 2 was named for Romeo and Cinderella by Kagamine Rin and Len, for obvious reasons. Chapter 3 is named for Butterfly On Your Right Shoulder by Kagamine Len, which refers to Duck's memories of the party and her desire to see Ren again. Chapter 4 is named for Sigh by Kagamine Rin, becuase Duck was afraid of losing Ren, who one could refer to as her 'angel'. Chapter 5 is named for Gate to Memory by Gumi Megoid, refering to Ren's ?loss of memory?. Chapter 6 is named for Meltdown by Kagamine Rin (live version is best) for no particular reason lol. All Vocaloid songs heh but they were also an inspiration for me. This chapter is the first not named after a Vocaloid song: Hate You by 2NE1, which has A KILLER MUSIC VIDEO! I chose it cuz, well, Fakir and Duck... hate each other. lol

Stick around, folks... The gears are finally starting to turn.


	8. Chapter 8: Mockingbird

That night, Duck was lying in bed, thinking over the day. Her fingertips traced absently over the bumps and scratches on the wall paint. Moonlight seeped in through the window, and she twisted her hands and bent her fingers, making abstract hand shadows on the wall. A dinosaur, a butterfly, a swan…

"Hm…" She examined the swan. _Why couldn't I have been named after something like a swan? Why Duck?_

_Oh, well. I sure don't act like a swan… _The swan morphed to a heart. A heart… She thought of Mytho. _Mytho… Is there any Ren left in you? Is the whole thing a publicity stunt or something?_ Her hands began to tremble, making the heart jarred and lopsided. She dropped her arms back to her sides and pulled the covers up closer about her shoulders.

_I made a deal with Fakir, but I can't just stay away from Mytho. It just doesn't feel right… Or maybe it's just me that isn't right. I've been feeling weird about all this since Ren became Mytho. Could it be that I feel differently about him, this new Mytho?_

The night was quiet aside from the quickening beat of her heart. She got up, feeling restless and unable to sleep, and paused by her window. If she listened closely, she could hear people laughing from the bar a few streets down. A few crickets were chirping; it was still quite warm for late September. She continued through the doorway and down the hall, pausing outside her mother's room.

When her mom was home, she could sense it. It was just a warm, slight pressure that she could feel, like a sixth-sense. But now, standing outside the unoccupied bedroom, she felt emptiness. The silence echoed throughout the house and pushed against her chest.

Duck often avoided going into her mom's room when she wasn't around – it did nothing but make her feel lonely. But tonight Duck needed reassurance, and she hesitantly wrapped her fingers around the doorknob. For a moment, opening the door, she expected to see her mom curled up under her covers. But the bed was neatly made, and her mom was gone.

She shut the door quietly behind her and walked slowly through the room. It felt wrong to be in here… It seemed a sacred place. At least, that's how it felt to Duck. After all, the only sign she had parents rested in this room. The bed her parents had shared, and her mother's clothes… She wandered to the closet, still open, and pressed her cheek against the fabrics. Every shirt was familiar to her.

A small glint caught her eye as she turned from the closet. Her eyes fell on her mother's desk.

While the desks of most adults were covered with bills or letters and other miscellaneous documents, Duck's mother, Adell, kept hers covered with the source of her livelihood.

Pliers, thread, wire, and beads of all kinds – glass, crystal, plastic – covered the surface of the desk. They glittered and sparkled under the slits of light that came in through the window. Under the desk were several drawers, each marked with what they contained. The top one was labeled 'finished', the second 'orders', and the third 'patterns'. Inside, one could find jewelry to match that of any professional shop – a woman's life written in glitter and finery. Duck went to the desk and ran her fingers, light as a feather, over the mesmerizing beads. They rolled and clinked at her touch, their multifaceted sides catching the streetlight and spilling orange rays all over the room.

Adell was a homemade jeweler who specialized in necklaces and bracelets. She had been making beautiful jewelry since before Duck was born – it was her art. She had her own website, The White Swan's Box, and was known throughout the area for her beautiful work. In fact, it was her who had given Duck the gold chain and beaded clasp she used for becoming Princess Bling, though Adell wasn't aware of her daughter's alter ego. Duck remembered how surprised she was that her mom acknowledged her pendant at all. After all, the pendant was the one item Duck had left from her father, gifted to her the day before he left without a trace. Duck couldn't help but smile, remembering that day. And yet, it hurt to remember. It was the very last time she'd seen him.

Their separation had been inevitable, that much Duck knew. Times had been so hard – her father had been laid-off from the factory where he worked, and was forced to make a living by doing odd jobs around the city. He was often gone for hours on end. Her mother continued to make jewelry, which earned the family a decent enough living, but their income kept getting less and less. Adell, once so steadfast and sure, turned to drinking to ease her anger and stress. The addiction did nothing to ease their financial strain. And then they'd started arguing and fighting all the time – Duck used to curl up under her blanket and tuck it tight about her ears to block out their yelling.

So it was inevitable that, the day of Duck's seventh birthday, when they had another big argument, a strange resign came over both of them. The atmosphere was eerily quiet, and yet it seemed like the calm before the storm.

It had been the day after her seventh birthday. It'd been late that night, but she was still awake, waiting for him to come home and give her a goodnight hug. Her mother was already in bed, and Duck was sitting patiently in an armchair, thin legs kicking in time to the chimes of the clock.

Then the door had opened, and her father, in his dusty overalls and stained t-shirt, came in. Overjoyed, Duck raced to him.

_Sorry it's late, kiddo. I think you'll like it anyways, though._ Her father knelt before her and smiled. He held out to her a worn velvet box.

Eyes big with curiosity, she took the box and opened it with clumsy fingers. Inside, on a simple metal chain, was a sparkling ruby pendant.

Her eyes lit up. She held it up and admired the way the pendant twinkled in the light. With gentle hands, her father took the necklace and strung it around her neck, clasping it carefully. _There you go. A pendant fit for a princess. You __are__ a princess – my little princess._

She held her arms out to him, and, laughing, he scooped her up and held her tight. _Never forget that._

She remembered her father tousling her hair, and then leaving to wash up before going to bed. His gait, somehow defeated, was imprinted in her mind.

She never saw him again.

There had been the fallout – her mother would break down during meals, crying, her tears falling onto her plate. They moved to a new apartment for reasons Duck's mom wouldn't disclose, though she knew that it was because her mom couldn't stand living at their old apartment without her father. Adell's drinking grew worse and worse, until it came to the point that she was often gone for days at a time on drinking binges.

And as the rest of her world collapsed, Duck found herself alone more often than not. She did all the chores, she got a job, and she tried to keep up with her schoolwork. She went to great lengths to ensure no one would suspect that she was by herself. But, all too quickly, it became too much for her to handle.

Then, one dark afternoon, she remembered her father's parting words.

_You are a princess._

She took the pendant out from its dusty drawer and began to wear it everyday. An idea began to form in her mind – she poured over her old childhood books. And then she realized – she did have a way to cope with all this.

And it lay in her pendant.

Her whole life, she'd enjoyed dancing. Throughout her childhood her parents would twirl her throughout the living room to all sorts of songs, and as she got older she took it more seriously. Dancing was the only activity she could do without screwing it up by her clumsiness.

She began to scrape together her extra earnings by the dollar and coins. She counted and counted, she scanned catalogues; she grew determined. And, after several months, when she finally had enough, she went to the department store in her threadbare sweater and bought a whole new outfit. Taking it home, she got out her meager sewing kit and made some minor alterations – trimming this off, adding fabric here, etc. And when she was done, a whole new persona lay before her –

Princess Bling.

From then on, her whole world had changed – parties every month, showing up unexpected to the most exclusive parties, making a name for herself. And her reputation as a dancer had grown and grown. Her world had grown –

And then, one day, her mother had surprised her with a crystal clasp to attach to the back of the ruby pendant.

It had been at breakfast on a Saturday. Duck had been counting the money in the clothing jar, eating a bowl of Cinnamon French Toast cereal, when her mother had slumped into the chair across from her. She had made a tired smile and held out a little trinket to Duck. "For you."

Duck had looked up, speechless. "For… me? What is it…?" She had taken it into her palm and stared at it in wonder. Intricate wire work and crystal beads made a clasp, just the right size to clip onto the back of her ruby pendant.

Adell then took a golden chain from the pocket of her capris. "This goes with it. It's nicer than that metal chain."

Beaming, Duck took the chain and restrung her pendant, adding the clasp.

"I thought it would look nice. A little something for when you want to dress up. Fit…" Her mother's smile wavered slightly… "For a princess."

_You are a princess._

_I am a princess._

Duck's hand went to her throat. She had forgotten to remove her pendant, and it rested gently against her collarbone. She undid the clasp and held it out, watching the orange streetlight catch the ruby facets.

_You are a princess._

Her parent's words echoed through her. _I am a princess._ Duck's mouth straightened with determination. _I can do this. I can't just keep saying things are hopeless… If things are hopeless, it's only 'cause I let them seem that way! I am Princess Bling. And… I will get my prince back._

Ren's smile flashed through her mind.

_Tomorrow, I will get my prince back!_


	9. Chapter 9: Get Thru This

Duck stood in the entrance hallway the next morning, arms clenching her books, face furrowed in determination. "I'm just gonna tell him the truth! There's nothing bad about that… I mean, after all, it's something that has to be done! And… The only way I'll feel better about any of this is if I tell him!" Her cheeks were flushed with both determination (bordering on self-agitation) and nerves.

"DUCK! Who you talking about?!" Pique tackled her from behind, and Lilie came running up behind her.

"No one!" gasped Duck. "Ouch ouch OUCHHHHH!"

"Ah, Duck, you always act as if you're the only one who can hear yourself talking," Pique sighed, releasing Duck and patting her shoulder in her characteristic way.

"But whatever you're prattling on about, you might as well go for it!" Lilie giggled.

"EXACTLY! Wait…" Duck froze and turned to her friends. "You – you know who I'm talking about?"

"Well, it's kinda obvious, you know," Pique jerked her head in the direction of Duck's gaze. "You were glaring at that new kid's locker – Mytho, isn't that his name?"

"His parents must be hippies – that makes for all the more of an original romance!" Lilie squealed.

"No, no, I – you don't understand!" Duck panicked. "I – it's not like I – I just…"

"I wouldn't be in such a rush, though," Pique cut in.

Duck paused in confusion. "Huh? What do you mean?"

"Well, haven't you heard?" Lilie asked.

"Heard WHAT?!" Duck began to panic once more.

"You know, Duck, for someone who's fallen head-over-heels for the new guy, you certainly don't keep tabs on him very well, do you?" Pique shook her head.

Duck's blood turned to ice. She gulped. "Will you guys just tell me what's going on?"

"Well, okay, here's the thing. So, yesterday, I was walking down the sidewalk and I saw – "

"Pique, you told ME you just heard about it, not that you – "

"Sh!" Pique shushed Lilie. "I'm getting to the good part! But, anyways, so I was walking and I saw that Mytho guy and – "

"Wait, Pique!" Lilie pointed to the entrance doors. "Let THAT finish the story!"

Duck looked at her friends in confusion, then leaned back and craned her head to see through the crowd.

There, making their way steadily through the flow of teens, was Mytho and Rue, arm in arm. Rue made a comment, then laughed, tossing her dark hair over her shoulder and hugging Mytho's arm tighter. Mytho said nothing, just looked down at her.

But Duck couldn't speak. She couldn't move. She was frozen as an invisible rain flooded over her and cemented her to the spot.

"Duck? Duck…?" Pique waved her hand in front of Duck's face. "Hey, c'mon, it's not that bad!"

Duck couldn't hear her. The raindrops of frost continued – she could even feel their wetness on her cheeks, trailing down her skin…

Wait. These raindrops were warm, not frigid… She rose her hand to wipe away two tears on her cheeks.

"Duck?" Pique's voice wavered in uncertainty.

"Why are you crying?" Lilie asked.

"It's nothing! It's nothing, okay?!" Duck dropped her books and sprinted away through the crowd, fighting past elbows and backpacks. _It's not fair it's not fair it's not FAIR! Mytho… My Mytho… My Ren! I was too late! I WAS TOO LATE! I'm sick of this! I can't believe it! I… just… can't…_

_ Wait. This doesn't mean anything. Maybe… Maybe they're just friends! _Duck skidded to a halt around the corner in an empty hallway, catching her breath. _And maybe I'm really a swan princess that bakes pies in her spare time…_

_ It's all my fault, once again. I… I can't believe it. Where do I go from here?! It's just one roadblock after another, and I don't know what to do! Why can't I just be with him? Is it really just not meant to be?_

She took a deep, shaky breath and tugged on her braid. "I can… I can still do this. 'Sides, it's just been a day since Mytho started school here, so maybe he and Rue – "

The sound of clicking footsteps made her halt, and she gazed around the corner cautiously. Rue and Mytho, still arm in arm, were approaching rapidly. Duck smoothed her braid, took another deep breath, and lowered her gaze.

They came around the corner at a leisurely pace, Rue chattering away at Mytho. "I mean, it is a city school, and not a very prestigious one at that, but I told my father I wanted to attend a school with more culture and life than a private school. My father is very wealthy and a producer with quite the reputation, so of course he was surprised when I told him –"

"Hello, Duck," Mytho said quietly upon spotting Duck.

Duck blushed despite herself. "Hi, Mytho."

"Ah, Duck's your name, is it?" Rue asked. "How very interesting. Is everything all right… Duck?"

"Y-Yes!" Duck immediately straightened up. A wave of guilt swept over her when she remembered the rage she'd been in just moments before… _At least Rue seems nice. Maybe things will work out for now. Better Mytho with someone friendly rather than a witch, right?_

"I mean, your hair is quite the mess, and your face is blotchy," Rue continued.

Duck felt as if she'd been pinched. "Yes, well… I had a long night!" She forced up a smile. "See, I had a lot of chores to do, and plus I had to work, so – "

"Work? At your age? But you're so young."

Duck scowled. A fire flashed up inside of her. "What's it to you?!"

Rue seemed taken aback for a moment, and Duck immediately regretted her venomous words. _What's wrong with me?_

Rue regurgitated a simpering smile. "…I see. Most of the students here are low-income, anyways, and I bet they have situations close to yours. Come on, Mytho, I want to speak to Mr. Gato before class starts. Have a nice day, Duck." Rue led Mytho away.

Duck stared after them as they left. As soon as they were out of sight, she gathered back up her stuff and walked out of the school, back towards home.

* * *

As soon as she reached her house, she slammed her stuff onto the floor and strode into the living room. She needed something to take it all away. Something to distract her from this right now, from life's ridiculous issues…

The stereo had an almost magnetic pull to her. It called to her, promising that, even if only for a few minutes, it would relieve her of her desperation.

She jabbed the buttons impatiently, waiting for it to buzz and whirr to life. As she waited for it to warm up, she searched the stacks of CDs next to it. In her haste, she knocked them over. A few cases popped open, their CDs sliding out. She grabbed one with a ruby colored disc and jammed it in.

"COME ON COME ON!" She scuffed the floor with anger as the stereo took its time to load the song. A futuristic beat began.

"Ahh… This is better!" She stretched a little as the intro beat began to pick up. She smiled – she felt better already. She lifted her arms above her head and twirled around the room. She raised her leg and swung it down to the side, her motions echoing a robot. She moved smoothly, forwardly, without any frivolous sweeps or curves. To the rhythm of the music, she danced gleefully. Then the androgynous singer started the chorus.

"If only I could get through this…

I just gotta get through this,  
I gotta get through this, I gotta get through this,  
I gotta make, gotta make it, gotta make it through,

Said I'm gonna get through this, I'm gonna get through this,

I gotta take, gotta take my mind off of you…"

_I'm gonna get through this_, Duck thought with the singer_. No worries… Ah, dancing makes_

_everything better!_ She pirouetted in bliss around the room. _No worries!_

"Give me just a second and I'll be all right,

Surely one more moment couldn't break my heart.

Give me 'til tomorrow and I'll be okay…

Just another day and then I'll hold you tight…"

Duck hesitated between steps. _Just another day and then I'll hold you tight..._

"When your love is pouring like the rain

I close my eyes and it's gone again,

When will I get to just say I love you?!"

Duck began to dance again with a vengeance. She stormed through the room, arms flashing, legs swooping. But there seemed to be no movement strenuous enough that could relieve her of her angst.

"I pretend that you're already mine,

That my heart ain't breaking every time

I look into your eyes!"

She stretched her arms out as far as they could go, until her shoulders were tingling and her hands were brushing against the wall and furniture. Papers were sent flying like white feathers through the air. Dropping to her knees, she skid back to the stereo as the song ended.

"I just gotta get through this…"

The song stopped, and the stereo whirred to load the next one. In the quiet, the only sound was Duck's labored breathing. It had been such a workout… But even that, in the end, did not warm the cold that had seeped into her bones, nor relieve her of the emptiness she felt consuming her at the thought of Rue and Mytho arm in arm. The papers continued to fall like feathers, calm and white, all around the room. Their serenity did not hint to the feelings of the girl they surrounded, who so desperately wanted to scream.

* * *

Sorry that it's been so long since I last updated. My Microsoft Word is way out of date, so that causes a lot of problems... (sweatdrop) The next chapter's almost finished, so stay tuned!

Lyrics from Gotta Get Thru This by Daniel Bedingfield. :)


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